


Strangers On A Train

by DancingOnCapitals



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Anxious Chris Evans, Best Friends, Evanstan - Freeform, Food, Friendship, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M, Shy Sebastian Stan, Social Anxiety, Strangers, Strangers to Friends
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-18
Updated: 2017-01-24
Packaged: 2018-07-24 21:00:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7522963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DancingOnCapitals/pseuds/DancingOnCapitals
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chris notices a person at his train station. They take the same train to the same station each day, yet they never talked.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a work in progress.  
> This is a work inspired by real life experiences.
> 
> I didn't read it beta and I have no beta, I simply needed to post the first part. finally.

It's the end of his second week at the new job when Chris notices the man at the train station.

Early in the morning and his brain still sleepy he arrives at his train station with two minutes until the trains arrival to spare when his gaze meets a guy his size with dark hair and high cheekbones under blue eyes. He looks strangely familiar but Chris can't pinpoint where he might have seen that face - that can not be described as anything other than a resting bitchface -before.

 His jaw is a bit broader and describes a very defined line to his ears.

There is no doubt. That guy is beautiful. The faux leather jacket in black and the plain red shirt complete the look and Chris has to force himself from looking away. He's been staring at the stranger for far too long already.

 

-

 

At work, Chris' thoughts trail back to the man at the train station every few seconds and Chris is wondering why he had never seen him before. His face looks so familiar though.

 

With his mind occupied by things that shouldn't concern him during work hours he gets three customers' coffee orders wrong and spills a whole cup of fresh and hot latte all over his black apron. His shift manager looks at him amused, but doesn't call him out. She's a kind girl who acknowledges the workers as people and knows there are better and worse days for everyone.

 

Lunch break comes and Chris is stumbling out the coffee house to get himself a nice and hot tomato soup from that soup place a couple buildings down the road. He doesn't even notice he's still wearing the apron that is portraying dried coffee and soy milk on the black fabric until he enters the place.

 

The shop is a light room with a counter opposite the door and a large stove and working place behind that.

The walls are painted in a colour nearly white with a hint of pink in it that is almost invisible. If it isn't for the actual white tiles on the floor and the wall behind the kitchen area that set the contrast, one wouldn't even notice the hint of colour.

The furniture on the other hand is a complete mess but doesn't look out of place.

The chairs and tables are wooden and Chris can still see the wooden pattern on them lurking through the light coating of colour. Each piece is painted a different colour of the rainbow and each table has a different shape.

This place feels out of place with the rest of the busy street outside but like a refugee from all responsibilities at the same time.

Chris has seen lots of places seeing that he grew up in this city but he felt like he had entered wonderland when he had entered this shop for the first time on his third day working at the coffee shop.

 

"Hey Chris," Judy, an elder lady who runs the place is greeting him.

"Hello Judy!" Chris grins at her and walks over to the counter to have a look at the specials.

 

Although it's a soup place, Judy also offers smoothies, hummus and fresh juice. Today's special is a Blueberry-Smoothie with banana and raspberry. And blueberry of course.

 

The smoothie sounds very good to Chris but he is feeling more for the tomato soup today.

"I'll take the tomato-soup, Judy." He smiles at her while handing over the cash.

Judy takes it and turns around to fill a huge bowl dish.

"You know," she says with her back facing Chris "with you coming here every day, you would profit from our discount card. Two percent off every meal and the tenth meal will be on the house." She turns around with the steaming meal in hand and smiles at him.

"Thank you, I'll think about it." Chris smiles back and takes the dish to a table near the windows.

 

Around eleven other customers are sitting at other tables and while Chris is having his lunch he watches a stream if people entering the shop and either leaving it again with take-out or taking it to a table where they enjoy their food.

He notices that quite a few people take the special and seem quite content with it. In fact a lot of them start smiling with the first sip.

 

By the time Chris finishes his meal, a proper queue has lined up and leads to the counter where Judy is busy serving the customers.

He gets up and brings his bowl to the counter as he does every day, Judy is preparing a new round if fresh blueberry smoothie and smiles at him when he places the empty dish in the crate for it.

"I think this wasn't quite the best time to send my new assistant, slash cook, on his lunch break." she chuckles.

Chris looks around. She's right. This is much business for one person.

 

"I'm sorry Judy. I got a couple minutes left, shall I lend you a hand?" He offers.

Her eyes light up and she pulls him behind the counter.

"Thank you darling!" Her face is reddened and a few streaks of her silver grey hair have escape her bun and frame her round face.

"You can take the cash machine, I'll serve, alright?"

 

So Chris stands behind the counter and helps Judy for ten minutes before he has to go and his lunch break is over.

She thanks him around a hundred times and hands him a glass bottle with blueberry smoothie when he leaves.

"You can come and have a refill any time, darling."

And off she goes to continue her work.

The queue is smaller now, lunchtime is nearly over and Chris hopes that Judy will learn from that and reschedule lunchtime in her place.

 

Chris leaves the shop and heads for the coffee house. The sun is shining and it's a beautiful day. He takes a sip from the smoothie he plans on storing in the employers' fridge until his shift is over.

It is delicious! The perfect mix of banana, raspberry and blueberry. Chris can't help but let the smile creep onto his face. This smoothie is worth the work.

 

A few meters from his workplace he sees the man from the train station. Chris' steps fall out of rhythm and he stares at the stranger.

He is holding a cup from the coffee house Chris is working at and doesn't seem to notice that he is stared at.

He simply stares ahead and walks past with an expression on his face that screams 'murder'.

Chris notices that he is kind of cute though.

 

Chris' eyes follow the guy, not without acknowledging the nicely shaped legs that are wrapped in light-washed jeans that hug his ass just right. He manages to focus on his way ahead just in time to safe himself from running straight into the lamp post that guards the doors of the coffee house. Chris takes a step aside just in time to avoid the post but crashes into a guy who wraps his arms around Chris to keep him from falling.

 

"Hey there, slow down buddy. You could at least invite me to have coffee first." A deep and amused sounding voice makes Chris blush and he looks up at the man.

 

He is almost as tall as Steve and his dark hair is shaved to the length of merely a fingers' broadness.

His eyes are welcoming an his smile warm and huge and framed with a well-maintained beard. The light grey t-shirt he is wearing makes a nice contrast to his dark skin.

 

Chris blinks at the man. He is beautiful.

That is the second beautiful man he sees today. And this one even talks to him.

 

"I'm so sorry" Chris apologises and takes a step back.

He looks at his hands discovering that the smoothie survived the adventure instead on covering somebody in deep purple stuff.

He looks back up and his blue eyes meet the guy's.

"Um" Chris scratches the back of his head "thank you."

 

The guy grins at him.

"No problem at all, Chris."

"How do you know my name?"

"Oh" the guy laughs a booming laugh "the sign on your apron. Which you are wearing by the way." He points at Chris' name tag and presses his index finger against it.

"Oh, yeah." Chris dead pans and feels a blush working it's way on his face.

 

They stand there awkwardly and look at each other for a couple seconds.

 

"So what about the coffee" Chris feels brave.

"What coffee?" the guy seems confused.

"You said you like being invited for coffee..."

"Oh yeah!" He exclaims.

"Well, there's a coffee house. You coming?" Chris heads for the entrance and hold the door open for the stranger to enter before him.

The man chuckles and passes Chris blowing a kiss at him.

Chris smiles to himself - he likes that dude although he doesn't even know his name - and follows inside. His shift is about to begin.

Meanwhile his accidental date stepped to the counter and eyes the options.

Chris decides that he has embarrassed himself already so he has nothing to lose and goes fully himself. He steps up to the man and wraps an arm around his shoulder.

"So, guy whose name I don't even know yet but intend to buy a coffee for, what is your choice." He smirks.

"Mackie." The guy responds.

"Huh?"

"Anthony Mackie, but my friends call me Mackie." He grins at Chris.

"Oh, okay. Nice to meet you, Mackie."

"Honestly, this is the worst date ever!" Mackie says a bit too loud, the coffee house's busy noises quiet down a little.

Chris and Mackie look at each other and break into booming laughter.

The noises continue.

 

"Alright," Chris catches his breath "I know something."

He slips behind the counter and begins to prepare a latte for his new friend.

"I knew you looked familiar!" Mackie almost yells at Chris.

 

"What?" Chris freezes with a pitcher in hand.

"You looked familiar. Now I know why. You're the handsome coffee shop guy." Mackie wiggles his eyebrows.

Chris finds himself in lack of a witty reply so he occupies himself with preparing the latte while new orders rain in.

 

Mackie doesn't seem to mind and takes over the role of announcing the completed orders instead. He does so in the most ridiculous tones and Chris is grinning to himself by the time the flow of orders thins out enough to chat with Mackie.

 

"The what?" Chris finally works up the courage to ask Mackie about his remark from earlier.

"Huh?" Mackie asks but a light of understanding appears in his eyes.

"Oh, yeah, actually I've been here almost every day the past one and a half weeks once I noticed you here." He explains while his voice changes due to the grin that forces his lips to rise at the sight of Chris face going dark red and looking even more confused.

"You stalking me?" Chris asks half joking.

"No! God no!" Mackie seems to be shocked at that suggestion "maybe a little" he adds with a grin.

Chris raises an eyebrow.

"Truth be told, I saw you walk in around lunch time last week and I thought you were a customer but I was wrong so I decided to watch your awkward way to charm everyone while enjoying my coffee." Mackie is full on laughing by the time he finishes.

Chris, on the other hand, is gaping at him with big round eyes accompanying the irritation visible on his otherwise soft face.

 

"You're a weirdo" slips from Chris mouth after a short moment of silence. He covers his mouth with both hands when he realises what he just said but recovers quickly to complete the next order.

Mackie's laughter startles not only Chris and he slaps his right hand against Chris' left shoulder, some of the freshly prepared coffee spills over Chris hand and apron but he smiles anyway.

 

"So you're working nearby?" Chris inquires while sweeping up the mess.

"Define work" Mackie chuckles.

"Umm" Chris raises an eyebrow, barely able to contain the insecurity awaking in his chest.

"Just kidding," Mackie saves him with a smirk.

 

Is he flirting?

'No' Chris decides. After having witnessed him interact with the other customers announcing the completed orders and handing over the cups, Chris is sure that Mackie is one of those remarkable people who flirt with everyone, probably being completely unaware of it.

 

"I manage the cinema at the train station. You know the kinda shabby one that looks a little hipster." Mackie explains "I'm loving it so I wouldn't call is work per sé."

 

"So you like films then?" Chris asks and feels dumb the next second.

"Well, yeah. I do, but I love the effect it has on people way more than the actual film."

"I didn't know you were of the deep kind." Chris teases.

"Oh, you know, Chris From The Coffee House, there's still a lot you don't know about me. This is our first date after all."

 

-

 

When Chris is heading home later that day, he is already struggling to keep up with the flood of jokes and memes Mackie sends him every few minutes.

Anthony, so Chris figured, will probably make a very good friend and the way they got along earlier really made Chris day better and distracted his mind from The Man.

 

That is, until he sees him waiting for the train at the station.

The Man looks a little tired and his face seems to be screaming for even bloodier murder than this morning. Chris hates to admit to himself that he is still attracted to that appearance.

 

The train arrives and Chris gets on the same car as the stranger but doesn't see he him from this point.

On the thirty minutes ride home, Chris is already acting out all kinda of conversations he probably won't ever have to The Man, so he doesn't notice the usual looks he's receiving from many people on the train.

 

In fact Chris kind of knows that he probably is attractive but he is almost never aware of it and even more oblivious to people trying to flirt with him.

 

One stop from his destination, Chris fishes his phone from his pocket and sends a text to his best friend Scarlett. For a second he contemplates texting his other best friend of more years about it but Scar is usually better with these kinds of things and doesn't live across the big pond and in a different time-zone as him.

 

"I met a guy today. He is fun."

 

The message is pointless but he knows that Scar will pick up on his actual problem once they meet for coffee which usually happens within the following days, sometimes week, to either of them texting each other.

 

Scarlett is a very intelligent woman who knows what she wants in life and while she is a few years younger than Chris, she made a lot more progress in the direction of the way she wants her life to lead. this means that she is usually busy working on her career as an actress.

 

Chris doesn't wait for a reply but pockets his phone instead and stares out the window for another minute until the train halts at his destination.

 

The Man is walking right in front of Chris but while he takes the way left, the stranger is heading for the stairs straight ahead and their ways part from there.

 

-

 

The next mornings, Chris sees him almost every day. Waiting at the station. Taking the same train. Leaving at the same station. Heading in the same direction.

He seems to be completely disinterested in everyone around him though, so Chris doesn't even try to work up the courage to approach the guy.

 

Chris' thinks about the beautiful stranger when getting up in the morning and is dying to get to know him more each day.

He is distracted at work, but not too much for people to notice, and gets soup from Judy's for lunch, never meeting the new cook who also creates awesome smoothies.

 

Scarlett is too busy and abroad to talk on the phone so they mostly communicate via text message and Chris really misses his friend.

 

Mackie on the other hand visits him at work every other day and they joke around while Chris is serving one finding customer after the other without paying attention to their awkward attempts on talking to him.

Once in a while Mackie shoots those poor souls a reassuring look.

 

-

 

A few weeks later, Chris is once again entering Judy's place when he sees a different person than Judy behind the counter.

The person's back is facing him occupied with chopping something that looks like carrot. Chris' heart - or stomach?- reacts to the prospect of that awesome carrot-ginger soup being back, that he had a few weeks ago but was never offered again.

 

The door falls shit behind him and the person who must be the new cook looks up and turns around leaving Chris with a few extra palpitations of his heart.

The cool has already turned back to chopping but the split second of their eyes meeting was enough for Chris to know that he knew that guy.

Well, at least he had seen him before.

The long dark hair up in a bun and the sharp cheekbones drawing attention to the eyes that look too soft to fit into the face that displays homicidal tendencies.

 

Judy doesn't seem to be in today and Chris is just too overwhelmed by the sight of The Man in this place to move for a few seconds.

 

The door opening behind him pulls him from his thoughts and he remembers what he came here for.

 

Chris walks over to the counter and checks the specials-board.

 

"Carrot-ginger soup" is written on the black surface. Around the letters are doodles of carrots and ginger roots.

 

Chris looks down and faces a broad back.

He can't say he doesn't like what he sees. Suppressing a smile is rather hard, he finds but then the cook turns around to take his order.

Chris is aware of a couple more customers behind him waiting patiently for their turn to order but he can't seem to find words.

 

The cook raises an eyebrow and looks expectantly at him.

His thick long eyelashes framing his blue eyes that dip into turquoise.

He is utterly beautiful.

 

"I'll take the special." Chris manages to blurt and sighs in relief when the man nods and turns around to fill a bowl dish.

Chris' hands are shaking. He feels anxiety waking in his brain and reaching to his stomach with long and cold claws.

 

When The Man turns around to hand him the dish, Chris puts the change on the counter, hastes a breathy thank you grabs the dish and a spoon and takes the table furthest from the counter and cook.

 

The soup manages to warm his insides and calm the beast in his belly. He feels calmer with every spoon and by the time he emptied the bowl he is almost as good as new.

 

Chris leans back in his chair and observes the people coming and going. Or so he tries to tell himself when in reality his gaze is mostly wandering to today-not-so-grumpy face serving customers.

 

When he brings back the empty dish he tries to catch the other guy's gaze but doesn't succeed so he makes his way back to work.

 

-

 

"I got a problem."

His finger lingers over the 'send' button.

Should he really text Hayley on this?

 

Hayley is a wise soul he met during his trip to the UK when he was twelve. They stayed in contact since then and she grew to be his best and most trusted friend.

 

He hits send and goes to bed.

All he could do today was to think of his encounter with the guy and it's all he can think of now.

 

-

 

Chris wakes up with a bitter taste on his tongue. This can only mean that this day won't be one that can be counted among his better ones at the end of the day.

 

He groans and gets up.

A look at his phone tells him that Hayley has replied.

He opens the messenger app and reads her message.

 

"Shhhhh...

Don't think too much, sweetheart. Just talk to them."

 

He isn't even surprised that Hayley got what he was aiming at right away.

After fifteen years of friendship they know how each kind of problem would be phrased in a text message.

 

Chris sighs and heads for the shower.

 

-

 

After his face screaming 'murder' once again this morning, Chris feels discouraged when he enters Judy's later that day.

 

The guy is standing with his back to the door and Judy greets Chris with a warm smile.

She is back behind the counter.

 

"Hello, Judy" he greets her "I missed you."

Judy beams at him.

"Aw, Chris, that is so sweet. I had to manage some things around the shop and didn't have the time to serve personally."

She winks at him.

"But this means you finally met my chef."

 

Chris scratches the back of his head while pretending to read the menu.

 

"Umm, kinda." He looks back down at Judy's face.

 

That is when the chef turns around and their eyes meet for a split second.

Chris works up a smile as greeting but it goes unacknowledged on the other's face.

 

"Alright, what can Ido for you?"

Judy claps her hands, oblivious about what happened -or did not happen- over her shoulder.

 

Chris smiles at her.

"The usual."

 

A minute later he is sitting at his usual table once again.

The bitter taste on his tongue can't be covered by the sweet tomato-soup and he feels his thoughts nipping at his nerves.

 

By the time his dish is empty he has come to the conclusion that - however pretty he might be - the guy is rude.

Chris isn't really convinced by his own observation, though.

Judy would hire a rude person, would she?

And Chris doesn't know anything about the person anyway; maybe he is just very shy.

 

He gets up and returns the dish to the counter.

Judy is busy chatting with some boys at a table near the door so he is unsure wether to just leave the empty bowl dish at the counter or not.

 

The chef's back is facing him. Again.

 

"Excuse me" Chris works up the courage and finds his voice sounding weird.

The chef turns around and looks at him.

 

 Apart from the annoyed and sort of angry expression he seems to  have by default there is no emotion whatsoever as evidence of a reaction displayed on his face.

 

"Should I just leave this here?" Chris asks while raising his hand holding the empty dish.

The Man moves closer and takes it from him without a word.

He is about to turn around again when Chris feels brave once again.

 

"Did we go to school together? You look so familiar. Do we know each other?"

Nope, this totally didn't sound like a weak attempt on flirting.

 

The guy raises an eyebrow.

His voice is low and carries something like annoyance and irritation to this awkward situation with it when he replies.

"No, I guess we did not and you only look familiar since I've first seen you in here."

 

"Oh, okay." Chris deadpans.

He feels so awkward and for some reason as if he just got dumped.

 

Meanwhile, the chef had turned around and Chris takes this as a sign that the conversation is over.

 

He turns around and heads for the door.

He smiles at Judy who looked up and is waving him goodbye and leaves the shop.

The soup in his stomach threatens to say yellow once again. Chris feels sick.

 

"I didn't think too much. I feel worse."

 

He texts Hayley.

 

Another text pops up in his app.

 

"I will be in town next week. Coffee?"

 

Scarlett will be back!

Chris smiles.

The sun is shining.

The sky is a greyish blue and although it is getting colder as December is approaching, Chris feels a little warmer.

Who needs rude people when there are friends, anyway?


	2. Chapter 2

It has been the one thing he's been looking forward to all week.

The prospect of meeting Scarlett after months of communication down to barely one text message a week - sometimes less - made the past days fly by. He'd been to work, eaten soup, not thought about the guy and visited Mackie at his working place.

 

Now Chris is sitting in a café far from his working place and everything where his life usually happens. He doesn't mind, though the knowledge of it being a long ride back home is nagging at the back of his head he is too much looking forward to talk to his best friend again.

 

Chris sits in a quiet corner of the café. He arrived early and made sure to find a table where they could have some privacy.

Scarlett might not be a superstar - just yet- but Chris is convinced that she is up and coming and people are beginning to recognize her.

 

The door opens and Chris engages sharply. His friend is so stunningly beautiful he can't seem to ever get used to it.

 

Her perfectly proportioned face with those beautiful eyes and perfectly shaped lips always meet his eyes first.

Her hair is up in a messy bun today and her blue jeans and flower-print shirt hug her body just right. At her feet, Chris smiles, she is wearing that old pair of trainers that she loves so much.

She is simply beautiful.

 

Chris rises and Scarlett, who has begun scanning the place for either his face or a table, meets his gaze. A huge smile appears on her face and Chris feels his face mirroring the expression.

Scarlett walks up to him and they embrace in a warm and tight hug, squeezing months of missing each other into the touch.

When they part neither of them is talking; they look at each other with smiles in their eyes.

 

When they finally sit Chris takes Scarlett's left into his right hand and she begins to stroke his with her thumb.

"I missed you, Scar." He says.

"I missed you too, Chris." Scarlett replies with a smile.

 

They order coffee and talk about Scarlett's latest project, the attractive men who asked her out, the attractive women who didn't ask her out; they talked about Chris' no longer new job and Mackie who is fun to have around.

 

"I'd like to meet that Mackie-guy when he's clearly good for you." Scarlett states with that particular sparkle in her eyes.

"Scar," Chris sighs "he's just a pal."

Scarlett raises an eyebrow.

"And besides," Chris quickly adds suddenly scared he might have come across a little bitter over the status of his relationship with Mackie "he is straight like stripping pole."

If Scarlett is disappointed by Chris possible or impossible love-interest, she doesn't show.

 

Scarlett is an actress; And a very good one for that matter, which Chris' anxiety likes to remind him off. How many nights he had laid awake panicking over the sincerity of Scarlett's affection for him, he lost count of a few years ago.

 

"There's another person, then."

It's not a question.

 

Chris doesn't even ask her how she knows.

He leans back in his seat and scratches the back of his head while looking at his friend.

 

"Kinda. Not really... No there isn't..." Chris' voice gets lost in his babbling and with every word he gets quieter until he is barely audible with the last word.

Meanwhile Scarlett's eyebrows had reached a level on her forehead where they almost merge with her hair.

 

She takes her cup and sips from it eyeing him all the while with a look on her face that tells Chris that he opened a jar with this one.

 

He sighs and takes a sip from his beverage. Scarlett waits patently, her eyebrows on the usual level again although the left one still slightly raised.

 

"Alright..."

And Chris tells her about the kinda cute guy, mr resting bitchface himself and how he can't stop thinking about him and how he catches himself being excited to see him at the station, behind the counter or in the train each day more. He tells her how he started making up conversations between them and situations where either of them approaches the other, and how he works up his courage every morning and every day around lunchtime and every night on the way home to finally approach the stranger and just start a conversation to get to know him. And how the courage evaporates the second he sees him leaving his rib age full of bees.

 

Scarlett listens and doesn't interrupt a single time.

Not even when he tells her about the day when the guy was pretty rude. She lets him finish before she empties her cup, sighs and smiles at him.

 

"Sounds like you're waaaaaay out of his league and he knows." She simply says and reaches for the obligatory cookie that is served with each hot beverage.

 

"You're just telling me what I want to hear." Chris says a little disappointed.

 

"You wanted to war me say THAT?" Scarlett's eyebrows are dangerously close to her hairline again.

 

Chris chuckles.

"Not exactly. But an explanation for that weird behavior from someone who isn't as socially awkward as me is always nice."

 

"Well," Scarlett begins and leans back in her chair "there are several possibilities here. One would be the easiest one, he's intimidated by you; you're a very good looking guy for fucks sake!

Second,"

She simply talks over Chris weird attempts to reject the compliment "Second, he is very shy, not unlikely but I never met him. Third, he's not interested at all; fourth he's an asshole. And fifth he's either one and two or three and four or maybe all of it."

 

She leans in and takes Chris hand in her's.

 

"Whatever it is, you won't know for sure before you haven't talked to him; and hey" she squeezes his hand "what have you got to lose?"

 

To that Chris doesn't know a reply so he simply finishes his cup as well and they go back to their usual topics about everything and nothing and all the things in between that they agree or disagree on.

 

That night, Chris thinks too much.

He calls Hayley in London.

It rings one time, two times. After the fourth ring he almost hangs up.

 

"Hello?"

A sleepy voice answers the phone.

 

"Shit, did I wake you?"

 

Chris feels the self-loathing burn in his chest.

It's Saturday, early morning in London and Hayley probably planned on sleeping in.

 

"Chris?"

The voice sounds much more awake now. He hears a ruffle probably from Hayley getting up an leaving her bedroom before he hears her voice again.

"Chris!"

 

"Hayley, yeah, this is Chris."

Chris hates making phone calls. He always feels so awkward not seeing the other person while talking.

 

"Chris, it's so good to hear your voice. How are you? What's up?" Hayley's excitement infects Chris as she is almost yelling through the speaker.

"Are you alright?"

She adds, calming down a little, probably worried by his sudden call.

 

"Hayley, I'm good I just wanted to hear your voice and I didn't think about the time and simply called, I'm so sorry. Should I call again later?"

Chris is in full apologising-mode already.

 

"Are you kidding?" Hayley stops him right there.

"You can call me anytime, you know that. Besides, I'm awake now so we might as well talk right this moment."

Her voice carries a smile through the line and into Chris dark bedroom. He relaxes a little.

 

They listen to each other breathing for a moment.

 

"What is it?" Hayley asks after a while, her voice quiet and soft.

 

"I... I feel like a fuckup. Why can't I just do the things is love to do? Why do I have to second guess every fucking thing and then not do it at all?" Chris blurts out the thoughts that have haunted him all night and way longer than that.

 

"Oh Chris."

He hears shuffling and another door close and when she speaks again her voice is echoing a little while he hears taps on stairs.

"You're not a fuckup you know that. What happened?"

The noises of London are carried alongside her voice.

Chris pictures her in her Pyjamas and boots, fixing her coat against the cold British winds and walking down the dark but already busy street of her apartment.

 

"I wish you were here. You always know what to do." Chris sighs.

He already regrets giving in to his own nagging an calling her up like that. This hadn't happened since the night he dropped out of college and he needed to hear her voice leading him through his breathing routine.

 

 "I wish I could hold your hand right now." She replies.

"Breath, Chris. Take a breath in. Hold it. One, two, three, four, five. Breath out. Slowly."

Her soothing voice lets him sink, back against the sheets, on his bed and breath alongside her words.

 

All the socialising the past days and then the deep socialising and conversations with Scarlett that day had drained Chris more than he would have guessed could happen from hanging with good friends and left him overthinking too many things too much.

Chris breathes in and breathes out, breathes in, holds, breathes out.

Hayley is waiting on the phone.

 

It takes him ten minutes to calm down and feel his his body as his own, real one again. His lungs are hurting from the controlled breathing and his body is heavy on the mattress that he feels like he is melting into.

 

"Hayley?" He finally asks.

"Chris?" He hears her voice in reply.

"Thank you."

"No need to thank me, darling. You wanna tell me what it is you let your brain noise grow over?" Her voice is soft and a hint of her curiousness swings in it but no trace of expectation whatsoever; she doesn't push it, she knows better than that.

 

"I..." Chris hesitates feeling silly all of a sudden.

"There is this guy..."

And he tells her about the stranger and how he just can't approach him despite having developed a crush on him. He tells her everything.

 

When he is finished, silence travels from one end of the line to the other and back again.

They listen to each other's breaths.

Chris, who had been pacing through his apartment throughout his rambling, sits down on the edge of a chair's armrest.

He feels as if a mountain has been lifted if his body.

 

"Chris?"

"Hayley?"

"Can I tell you something from experience?"

"Please do."

"Alright," Hayley sighs "look, remember when I had a similar crush? Remember how I didn't know how to deal with that crush and how I didn't want to have a crush on somebody?"

"Yeah?" Chris thinks he knows where this is going.

"I kinda behaved like that guy and true to ignore everything that might deepen the crush and I even was rude without noticing, simply because I was too scared. If it hadn't been Kat who took a chance although seeing me as waaaay over her league," the stresses the "way", "I probably would still be pining after her and never know this love." Her voice has grown even softer and Chris has never heard somebody say "love" the way Hayley just did.

"Listen, Chris," she continues "I love you more than I can say, but these are things that you can only deal with on your own. I'm here to listen and to give you advice if you want and need it, but in the end you gotta do as you think is best for your own good. I think you either avoid the gut altogether or you take a chance. Maybe it's the best you can do."

 

Chris doesn't know what to reply to that, Hayley's got a point after all.

 

They talk for a few more minutes until Chris can't force his eyes to stay open any longer.

Hayley hangs up with the promise to call soon and Chris wraps himself in his blanket when a rush of affection for Hayley hit him full force. He wonders what he would do and where he would be without her.  He shushes his brain and is surprised it works this time. He falls asleep soon after.

 

That weekend, Chris is off work and takes some time to catch up reading and helping out in the local shelter where he loves spending the time he has to spare.

He thinks about Scarlett's word and what Hayley said about taking chances and decides to take his. It takes Saturday and Sunday to work up the courage necessary.

 

Monday, Chris doesn't see the guy at the train station.

At lunchtime Judy tells him that he beloved chef called in sick that morning.

 

Chris doesn't see the guy Tuesday morning nor during lunchtime at Judy's.

 

Wednesday comes and goes and Chris begins to wonder if he missed his chance.

 

All his courage gone on Thursday, he doesn't even go to Judy's but tries the pizza place that looks suspiciously empty all the time.

 

Friday morning around four, Chris knows he will have to call in sick.

 

Saturday and Sunday Chris feels like he's dying and his brother Scott comes over to nurse him with vegetable broth and lots of tea.

They watch TV and talk about Scott's ex; Scott doing most of the talking.

 

"God, guys. Sometimes I wonder how one has to be to even like them. You're so lucky you don't like a guy." Scott sighs at one point and Chris almost chokes on a noodle in his soup.

Scott doesn't need to know. For now. And it's not like Chris has anything more to tell than simply thinking to be interested.

 

Monday morning, Chris is fit enough to go back to return to work. He completely forgot about the courage from a week ago and when he waves Scott goodbye who takes an early train back to his home, he doesn't even think about a certain person.

 

He is caught completely off guard when he reaches the platform his train will leave from and his eyes meet Atlantic blue ones staring at him for a split second before the man looks away.

 

'That's it.' Chris thinks and all of a sudden a wave of courage hits him and rushes through his body.

 

Before he can think of anything else his feet are carrying him towards the person who had caused him so much trouble; probably without even noticing.

 

The stranger looks up when Chris comes to a halt directly in front of him.

His face lights up in recognition for a split second, after that his face regains the usual expression he usually meets Chris' eyes with. It's blank except for a few wrinkles around his eye that make him looked annoyed and bored at the same time.

 

Standing this close, Chris can't help but notice the colour of his eyes being a blue that can't be labeled. A blue that he would love to look at every night before closing his eyes and every morning as the first thing he sees.

The guy's lips are full and curved upwards like a very soft edged 'W' so slightly he almost doesn't notice.

The jawlines, strong and broad, meet in a dimple at his chin making his face look soft and warm.

The brown hair has grown longer and reaches his chin framing his face on both sides.

Chris heart skips a beat. This man is even more beautiful up close than he looked all those weeks ago when Chris saw him for the very first time.

 

He must have been staring little too long as he sees the other furrowing his brows and looking at him even more annoyed but with a hint of curiosity.

 

"Hi," Chris forces a smile "are you shy or simply don't want to talk to me whatsoever or is it okay if I try and talk to you or do you want to be alone?"

The man opens his mouth to reply but the anxious excitement in Chris' stomach makes him babble on.

"I'm just asking because we've been taking the same train all these wells and we've seen each other at least two or three times a day but never talked to each other. Also you look very familiar and this isn't a weird attempt to flirt but the only explanation for that is that you look like an actor? Anyhow, I'm Chris and I just made a fool of myself, so I better go before I make it even worse if that is possible."

 

Chris ends his rambling and every last bit of courage or whatever made him do this is gone. He turns around the second the train arrives. He makes his way for the very last car and the noise of the train coming to a halt rings in his ears.

He doesn't hear anything else; and if someone would have calls for him to wait he would not hear that either.

 

Chris stares out of the window in shock an terror of what he had done the whole train ride to work.

Later, he leaves the train in such a hurry that he doesn't notice Mackie waiting for him at the station. One minute on his way from train to work a breathless Mackie jogs up from behind him. He tells him something about the weather being awfully mild for December but Chris can't focus really.

In his mind he is repeating his words to the stranger over and over again letting the self-loathing begin. He fucked up his only chance. He knows that.

 

At the entrance to his working place, Mackie hugs him goodbye and promises to come by for a cup later.

Mackie keeps word and when he visits Chris later that day, entertaining the customers as always, Chris takes his lunch break two hours later than usual and sits in the comfy chairs with Mackie, a distraction most welcome.

Mackie's cheery chatter lifts Chris thoughts from the depths of his mind for a few minutes and Chris is in a much better mood when his break comes to an end.

 

That after noon, Chris visits Mackie at his working place and takes a late train, be doesn't meet the guy.

The next morning he enters the platform from the opposite stairs, just when the train comes to a halt.

He leaves the train in a hurry and spends his break at Mackie's cinema.

The following days he does the same:

Catching the train at last second, hurrying to work, spending his breaks at Mackie's in the break-room at work, or anywhere but Judy's.

He misses the soup, but he blew his chance and he is too embarrassed to face the chef.

 

Days become two weeks and his routine grows familiar.

 

Until, one morning, Chris misses his train by mere seconds.

"Fuck!" He is out of breath. He will be late to work.

Still breathing hard he types in his shift manager's number.

"Reena? It's Chris I missed my train and..." Reena doesn't even let him finish but tells him to calm down, take the next train and breath.

Chris already doubts his whole routine that only exists to avoid one person.

He decides that this has to stop.

He can't go on like that.

While he waits for the next train to arrive he goes through his options and decides that this kind of stress isn't worth it. Especially now that it's way into December and the days grow colder and people need more coffee to make it through the dark mornings. He can't let his colleagues hanging like that.

If he sees the guy he will acknowledge him; or not. Depending on the situation, he decides.

 

So Chris goes back to his normal schedule. Except he keeps spending his lunch breaks with Mackie.

Mackie is a cool guy and Chris really likes him, despite his sometimes problematic behavior.

 

"So whom are you avoiding?"

"What?" The question catches Chris completely off guard.

"Not that I love hanging out with you and everything but you told me about that amazing soup place weeks ago and that this is where you have your lunch because it keeps you going best and then all of a sudden you don't go there anymore and don't even mention it. So either, you found something that doesn't belong there in your soup or there is someone you try to avoid and I guess it's not Judy."

Mackie is the kind of person who doesn't work with hints and backstreet questions. If he wants to know something he asks and if there's something bothering him he says so. Still, Chris doesn't know how to react to that direct question.

"Umm," he tries.

"Spill it." Mackie says and throws popcorn at him.

 

They're watching a movie from the projector room where they won't disturb the audience that usually only consists of a handful people or a school class at that time of day.

 

"I'm not avoiding anyone," Chris tries rather unconvincing "I'm simply keener to spend time with my good buddy, Mackie."

This earns him a loud laugh and more popcorn thrown at his head.

"Sure, whatever, man!" Mackie laughs and slaps his shoulder.

His face goes more serious though, "no seriously, bro, if you need to talk I'm here for you."

"Thanks man." Chris replies with a half-smile.

Both quickly return their attention to the screen where a corny romance is unfolding.

 

________

 

It's only one week until Christmas when Chris is sitting down in a seat on the packed train to work, sunken in thoughts and planning how to spend Christmas with his family, Scarlett and also Mackie. The latter had invited him to an early Christmas-party yesterday that would happen December 23rd, Scarlett didn't really invite him as she isn't sure about her schedule just yet - she is currently reshooting a scene abroad - but spending Christmas morning and the 26th with his family was a given.

 

A movement near him.

Someone takes the seat opposite his.

He doesn't look up but makes room for the other's legs.

 

The train starts moving.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry for the delay. I finished this a while ago but never got around posting it as life got in the way.

"I'm Sebastian."

The voice is slow and just a hint raspy.

Chris looks up. Blue eyes meet his.

A shy smile appears on the stranger's face.

 

"I never meant to come off rude."

His smile turns apologetic.

 

Chris isn't sure but his jaw might have dropped just now.

 

These wonderful eyes peering from above those sharp cheekbones make him almost dizzy now that they finally meet his.

 

He stares a little too long at Sebastian whose smile becomes unsteady and turns into something between curious and insecure now that there is no reaction to his words.

 

"Oh," Chris finally notices his staring and shifts his body forward a little "I'm Chris."

 

Sebastian's lips curl up just a hint and Chris wouldn't have noticed the change on his face if he had not memorized so much of it by now.

 

"Yeah, I know."

"What?"

"Your name. You told me the other day."

Apparently Chris looks even more confused because Sebastian adds a shy smile and looks at his hands.

"Shortly before you ran off and disappeared for weeks."

He smiles and looks at Chris, his eyes glistening like the stormy sea from under his long lashes.

Chris feels a kick in his gut.

"Oh." Is all he can say.

 

Neither of them says a word for two stops.

Chris looks out of the window and at the people on the train without seeing them. All he can see is Sebastian doing the same when his eyes wander over Sebastian's face.

Two or three times their eyes meet but both look away immediately, shy smiles dragging at the corners of their mouths.

 

Chris hears Hayley in his head.

"You're sitting right in front of him and he's been bloody adorable, you idiot."

He tries to ignore her, or himself, but her voice just grows more and more amused and the British accent even thicker.

 

All of a sudden he feels his facial muscles sting. He focuses again and finds himself grinning in the general direction of Sebastian's face who is grinning back.

 

"So..." Chris begins but before he can continue he has forgotten how words work. The man sitting opposite of his has eyes too distracting to keep his mind working properly.

 

Sebastian leans in, just a little, "so?" he asks.

 

'Oh dammit!' Chris thinks 'there's not much to lose'.

 

"So" Chris begins again "what are you doing around lunchtime today?"

 

Sebastian's mouth quirks up only on one end, he leans even closer. His forearms rest on his knees and he smiles at Chris.

"Whose lunchtime?"

 

Chris wants to die immediately. He imagines the floor to give in and consume him whole but nothing happens.

"Oh, right" is all he can manage to reply before being silent a few moments.

Sebastian is watching him the half-smile remaining on his face.

 

"I didn't think. I'm sorry." Chris apologises but Sebastian leans back in his seat and smiles even more.

"Nah, it's alright man. I'm working but you're welcome to come by. Judy misses you."

 

The ground still fails to open up and swallow him whole.

 

 

Chris has been nervous since he left the train and parted ways with Sebastian. By the time he arrives at the coffee shop, he is shaking properly.

 

When Reena sees him, she looks rather concerned but doesn’t say anything.

 

Chris hurries to get started hoping he will distract his minds from what happened. Sure enough, he doesn’t succeed. His mind keeps replaying the most embarrassing parts. He feels like he is the punchline of a bad comedy when his lack of attention earns him hot spilled milk on his apron. Emily, his co-worker who started the first week of December looks at him with amusement in her eyes but hands him a cloth anyway.

 

She is nice but at first Chris had a feeling she might be crushing on him. Until she realized her shy smile and somewhat awkward social behavior wasn’t targeted exclusively at him.

 

Lunchtime comes what feels like a millennium after his shift began and Chris takes his time finishing up before leaving.

 

He feels like back when he was 13 and he had his first date that wasn’t even a date because he did not have a crush on this girl who was super sweet but simply a good friend. He was so nervous back then, he almost threw up when his mom picked her up and drove them to the mall. They remained good friends even after graduation when she moved to the other end of the country although they haven’t seen each other in a year or two.

 

Of course Judy’s looks the same as it did last time he ate there; Except for the Christmas lights on the walls and glistening snowflakes hanging from the ceiling.

Chris feels a home immediately and the warmth of the place and in the smile on Judy’s face when she sees him embrace him and melt the cold in his hands.

 

“Chris, my boy” Judy approaches him with open arms and hugs him tight.

 

There is no trace of a grudge or anything like that in her voice, yet Chris feels bad for abandoning her like that. In fact it wouldn’t have crossed his mind in a thousand years that Judy might miss him as he is convinced she is like that to every regular customer.

 

“Hello, Judy. I’ve missed you.” Chris squeezes her before letting go.

“I missed you, too.” She takes a step back and looks at him. Chris feels his skin burn under her look. He doesn’t like that attention.

Judy seems to notice because she lowers her voice which is too loud per usual.

She grabs his arm instead and walks him to the counter from where Sebastian has been surveying the two of them with a smile on his lips.

 

“You know,” Judy leans in and whispers to Chris who has to lower his head to hear what she is saying “for some reason, my chef has been all squirrely all day. You’ve met him, right?”

 

Chris chuckles at that. They reach the counter and Sebastian grins at them.

 

Chris breath gets caught in his throat. He never thought a person could actually look good wearing a hairnet and an apron but Sebastian sure does.

Judy looks at Chris, then at Sebastian, then back at Chris.   
“I see” she says and pats Chris right arm.

 

Then she turns around and greets a group of people who just entered.

 

Sebastian looks at Chris and Chris looks back, both look shocked for a second before cracking up.

 

Chris orders a pumpkin soup with cardamom and cinnamon among the spices, he is a little skeptical at first but Sebastian go the mix just right.

He drags a chair to the side of the counter near the stove where Sebastian is cooking and preparing food, while Chris is eating.

 

They talk about the weather getting colder and the air being crispy. It’s both their favorite weather; being all wrapped in clothes and warm and cozy but the tip of the nose being just a little too cold.

They talk about Christmas approaching and their plans for it. Sebastian is going to spend it with his mother and Chris remembers that his plans are rather hectic this year.

 

 Before Chris knows what is happening – he is talking casually to the person he’s been rushing on for months now - his break is over and he has to excuse himself.

 

“If you come by during your break you will get a coffee on the house” he says as he is returning the chair to its table.

“That is a compelling offer, indeed” Sebastian says.

 

“Bye,” Chris awkwardly waves goodbye and heads for the door.

 

Chris is back in time for his shift to continue but the place is packed.

He hurries to get started while Emily is rotating.

The two cashiers, Daniel and Linda, look sweaty and worn out although their shift had just started when Chris had left for lunch.

 

“I still don’t get the system that dictates when how many people are scheduled to work here.” Emily says when Chris appears next to her.

Her long dark blonde hair looks messed up and red marks paint her neck.

 

Chris turns around to the coffee machine and prepares a new order while Emily announces the latest order finished.

 

“One… Soy Latte. Pumpkin Spice. With whipped cream!?” Chris hears a booming voice.

“Who the hells orders soymilk and still takes whipped cream!? Don’t you know that there is lactose in the cream?” Mackie looks at the cup in his hands “Oh, it’s Timmy. Goddammit, Timmy!”

A skinny, tall dude with fake-glasses and messy hair appears taking the cup from Mackie’s hands who looks at him in wonder.

“I’m half-vegan.” The dude announces, his voice lowered though.

 

Chris turns around and looks at Mackie who is looking at Emily who is looking at Chris. They crack up.

 

“Nah you’re just a pretentious dumbass.” Mackie says so that only Chris and Emily can hear him.

 

Timmy has already left. A group of friends nearby are giggling while looking past him.

 

“Mackie! Don’t upset our customer, don’t you have to work somewhere?” Chris chuckles.

Mackie just shrugs.

 

Chris prepares orders with soy milk and almond milk and Emily and Mackie announce them. They belong to the still giggling group of friends.

 

The next order is with cow milk.

Mackie announces it as “Whole milk latte. Cinnamon. No whipped cream. Who is the traitor?” he looks at the cup. “Sina? Seriously Daniel, you need to work on your handwriting!”

A girl from the group comes forward grinning at Mackie.

“At least you got the cinnamon right.” He winks at her; she raises one eyebrow, takes the cup from him and returns to her friends. The group leaves.

 

It takes half an hour and the place is still packed but now with people enjoying their coffee and only three people queueing up to place an order.

 

Emily leaves for her break and Mackie sits on the tiny wall that holds the tiny door to the counter barista area.

“Soooo…” Mackie stresses the ‘o’ “You gonna tell me why you’re smiling like an idiot, or do I have to find out myself?” he asks.

Chris had not even noticed he was smiling that hard, but now that Mackie mentioned it his facial muscles stat to hurt.

He turns to Mackie to answer when someone shouts “Mackattack!” from behind Chris.

Chris turns around.

“Sexy Seabas!” Mackie is shouting back before Chris’ mind has time to sort the voice to a face and the face to a person.

 

Sebastian walks up to them and hugs Mackie in greeting.

“Hey Chris,” Sebastian greets Chris and sits next to Mackie on the tiny wall. Not before pushing him to the side to make room for him, though.

 

Chris takes a second to recover and bring his jaw back up to where it belongs.

“Hi.” He says while looking from Mackie at Sebastian, at Mackie and back at Sebastian.

“You know each other?”

“Yeah, Mackie helped me out when I moved here and we’ve been best friends ever since. Ain’t that right, Chococcino?”

 

“Damn right, Vanilla Ice.” Mackie replies and shoves Sebastian to the side.

 

Meanwhile Chris has gone back to serving an order.

 

“When did you move here?” he asks. “Iced Coffee, whole milk, extra ice!?” He announces.

 

“A year ago, but I worked as a substitute teacher until September.” Sebastian says and grabs the Ice Coffee.

 

Chris makes a mental note.

He notices Mackie’s eyes on him. He looks at his friend and raises an eyebrow in a silent question.

Mackie smiles, his lips pointed and the left corner of his mouth pursed. He raises his left eyebrow.

It’s the face he makes when he picked up on something and is amused about it.

 

Sebastian is completely oblivious to the silent interaction between the other two and sips his iced coffee.

 

Chris rolls his eyes and looks at Sebastian.

“I assume you’ll be at Mackie’s Christmas party, then?”

Sebastian looks up as if he had completely forgotten about his company.

“Yeah,” he smiles and his whole face lights up.

 

Mackie leans back a little and deepens his expression even more.

 

Chris ignores him, Sebastian either does too or doesn’t notice him. He grins at Chris, his blue eyes sparkling.

A new order comes in and Chris goes back to work.

“So, you’ll go to your mom’s place afterwards?” he carries on the conversation while heating milk.

“Yeah, the 24th will be busy, but when isn’t it.” Sebastian is still beaming in Chris’ direction. Mackie is typing on his phone.

The phone in Chris’ back pocket vibrates.

 

Chris announces the finished order and while it’s being picked up he checks his phone. Sure enough there is a textmessage from Mackie.

 

“There’s something you’re not telling me?” it reads.

Chris pockets his phone and shakes his head with a shy smile on his face.

 

“Your girlfriend?” Sebastian asks. His voice flat.

 

Chris eyes widen, that question caught him off-guard.

“No. No, no. no.” he says and shakes his head. “I don’t have a girlfriend, no.”

 

Sebastian smiles at him while Mackie cracks up behind him.

“One ‘no’ would have sufficed, you know?” he chuckles.

 

Chris blushes.

Mackie wheezes.

He smacks Sebastian’s shoulder.

“I have a feeling that Chris doesn’t have a girlfriend, what do you think, Seb?”

 

“I hate you,” Chris whispers under his breath and turns back to the coffee machine.

 

“Yeah, I don’t know why but I don’t think he has a girlfriend, either.” Sebastian chuckles back.

 

“Haha,” Chris laughs his driest laugh.

He announces a beverage.

 

“So, Sebastian, you said you worked as a substitute teacher before you started at Judy’s?”

“I did.”

“He did.” Mackie says.

“Thanks Mackie.” Chris points his tongue at his friend who flips him off.

“What did you teach?”

“Oh, you know,” Sebastian stretches his back “Drama.”

“Drama?”

“Yeah, the original teacher broke their leg when they fell from the stage during rehearsals. Then they went to rehab.”

“They went to rehab? Was the leg hurt that badly?” Mackie asks.

“Not really,” Sebastian chuckles. “But they fell because they were pissed like the Irish on St. Paddys Day.”

Mackie’s booming laugh fills the room.

 

-

 

Twenty minutes later, Sebastian has to leave for work leaving Mackie and Chris to themselves.

 

Chris, preparing an almond-milk latte with caramel syrup, no whipped cream, pretends not to notice Mackie looking at him with a silent smirk on his face.

 

“How come you’re unusually silent all of a sudden ‘Mackattack’?”

Mackie chuckles.

“Oh, I should have known.”

“Should have known what?” Chris decides to play it down.

“Oh come on! Cut the shit!” Mackie is back to his loud self.

Chris shrugs and puts on his most innocent oblivious face.

“You stopped spending your breaks at Judy’s all of a sudden, which I noticed because you spent a lot time at my place.” Yes, Mackie refers to his theatre as ‘his place’.

Chris, preparing a chai latte, ignores him.

“You know, Sebastian is single.” Mackie says.

“Happily, I hope.” Chris replies.

“Oh, that you will have to ask himself.” Mackie says and jumps from the wall. “See you later, bro.” And out he is.

 

Chris sighs.

“What was that about?”

Chris jerks around. Emily is standing behind him. Of course her break is over by now.

 

“Oh,” Chris rubs the back of his neck. “Mackie, has been dropping hints. I don’t know about what, though.”

Lie.

Emily raises an eyebrow.

“Did he just say that Sebastian guy is single?”

“Um, yeah, why?”

“Isn’t that the cook at Judy’s?”

“Yeah.” Chris says and hopes she doesn’t notice his blush.

“He’s cute.” She says. Just a statement no emotion applied.

“Yeah.”

He looks at Emily in terror. That just slipped.

Emily smiles.

“I knew it.” She grabs the disposable cup Daniel hands her.

“Oh, you know something, Mackie knows something. How come I don’t know what you know?” Chris feels annoyance awake inside of him.

“Oh,” Emily winks at him. “Everybody you know, knows.”

**Author's Note:**

> more to come.  
> please comment, etc.


End file.
